Like A Wildfire
by Ponchygirl
Summary: When one officer gets sick, and another tries to help him, in return getting sick himself and the same pattern follows all the way down to the last healthy officer then you've got a big problem on your hands! Sergeant Joe Getraer is left the only healthy officer to care for his sick A-shift. Because sickness at Central spreads like a wildfire.
1. Prologue

"Do you ever follow directions!?" asked Barry Baricza as he followed his friend and co-worker at the California Highway Patrol, Frank Poncherello down an alley way to a place they'd just been told not to go without back up.

"Back up is taking too long, Bear. I've got you already isn't that enough back up?" Ponch replied as he rushed off and disappeared in the shadows.

 _"Ok…well this day just got off to a great start…if he gets himself killed I'm gonna turn in my badge and retire early,'_ Bear thought as he continued walking, when suddenly he heard a scream. Bear started to run.

Soon Bear found Ponch, and the man they had been after. Ponch was standing a few inches away, and the man was hiding himself under a blanket. "Leave me alone! I know I've done some awful things but can't you see I'm sick!" he shouted then started to cough. He had screamed when he saw an officer coming near him. He didn't want anyone to see him like this.

Ponch and Bear exchanged glances. "Uh…sir, let's get you to the doctor," Ponch suggested.

The man said nothing he just glared at Ponch and Bear. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? Back up had soon arrived, it was Jeb, Bonnie, and Grossie. They didn't need that many people…but this guy they'd been after for a while, he was a thief and considered dangerous so apparently everyone had to show up to help. Ponch went back to call for an ambulance cuz this guy was very sick. As he did that he didn't realize that Bear was helping the guy up and to another spot.

Soon Ponch was making his way back to Bear. "Wait, no Bear…don't get too close to him, he's very sick. He might pass something on to you."

Bear rolled his eyes. "Ponch it's fine," he said.

Ponch was silent for a few moments not sure what to tell him…was it really fine? Or was this just the beginning?


	2. Chapter 1

Bear walked into the station a few days later not exactly feeling the greatest. Ponch had been right when he told him not to get too close to the man that was sick, but was Bear gonna listen? No. Bear tried to act like he was fine, he didn't think he had anything serious, at least nothing that he knew of…yet.

Jeb Turner walked in behind Bear. "Hey, haven't seen you in a few days how have you been?" Jeb asked.

"I've been better," Bear replied rubbing his aching head.

"Hey, are you ok?" Jeb asked.

"I've just got this headache…" he started. "Look before you jump to anything I know I should've stayed away from that guy a few days ago and I'm sure whatever he had I don't have so don't say anything…and if I do have what he had…don't tell Ponch."

"Yeah the only thing worse than getting sick is telling Ponch he was right," Jeb muttered.

Bear tried not to laugh as the two of them walked off to the break room for some coffee.

oOoOo

"Man, I'm telling you Jon, I'd hate to be in that guys place. He had both the chicken pox and the stomach flu. So as if the chicken pox wasn't bad enough he's gonna be throwing up a bunch and feeling extra miserable from the stomach flu too," Ponch said to Jon as they sat in the briefing room.

Bear and Jeb had just entered to hear that, and Bear felt even more sick to his stomach. "What if I got what he had?" he whispered quietly to Jeb.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine…" then Jeb realized if Bear was sick with that he was contagious, so why was he hanging out with Bear still. He sat one seat away from him.

"Oh gee thanks, so much for I'm gonna be fine."

"Well, I don't want to take any chances…" before Jeb could finish Grossie came and sat between them.

All through briefing nothing was said until finally at the end when Grossie said loudly "What do you mean you might be very sick?"

Ponch turned his head to see who he was talking to, it was no surprise to him it was Bear…but he wasn't gonna say anything. He just turned and looked back at Jon.

Bear only sighed and said nothing. Grossie stared at him still. "Look, if you're sick you should go home…and if not then let's get to work," he said as he got up.

Bear stood up but he felt miserable. "I'm still gonna work. I feel fine," he lied.

oOoOo

Within the next few days whatever it was Bear was sick with had been spread through the station. Ponch was hiding in Getraer's office with Jon. "I don't know what's wrong with them…but they are all very sick…and I don't wanna have what they have," Ponch said to Getraer.

"How do you know that you don't? You've been with them this whole time," Jon replied.

"What are you trying to say, Jon?"

"I…I think I might be sick too."

Ponch stared at him.

Getraer looked at the both of them. "Alright, I know this may seem crazy but I'm gonna bring a doctor in here…I need your help to get the entire A-shift in the briefing room."

"Why would it be crazy to get a doctor here?" Ponch asked trying to fight off this sudden wave of nausea.

"Because if everyone is sick with what I think they are sick with then no one is going home until we are all better."

"Sarge, don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"Would you rather they spread it to their families then to the entire city?"

"You're thinking like me…and that's scary," Ponch said.

Getraer shot him a look.

"Everyone is going to get examined, even those who think they are healthy."

"But, Sarge!" Ponch started to protest but that protest didn't last long as Ponch had to go to Getraer's trash can to throw up. Getraer walked over and knelt down.

"Are you ok?"

"Y-Y-Yeah…I just…I've felt kinda funny today. And I've been fighting off this nausea for a few hours."

Getraer nodded. "Are you finished?" he asked hoping that Ponch was done throwing up for a while now.

"Yeah…I think so."

Getraer started to help Ponch up when suddenly Ponch started to throw up without being able to make it to the trash in time, or hold it in. He felt horrible about it…he just threw up all over Getraer…and the nice clean floor.

"Ok, and this is why I said everyone is getting checked out by a doctor," Getraer said as he made Jon come over to help Ponch while he walked off to go get cleaned up.

"Hey, partner are you ok?" Jon asked.

"I…I don't know…I thought I was…" Ponch replied. "I think I'm actually done throwing up this time, like for now anyway."

Jon nodded then he and Ponch both went to get things to clean up the mess on the floor. After the mess was cleaned they put out the announcement about everyone needing to meet in the briefing room.


	3. Chapter 2

The officers all gathered in the briefing room and waited for either Getraer, Jon, Ponch or the doctor to come in and tell them they were gonna be ok. Some officers felt sick to their stomachs, while others were battling these new itchy red spots appearing on their skin. Some were battling both of those.

Jon entered the room itching his arm, all officer looked at him.

"Sorry, I got nothing to say," he told them.

A few moments later Ponch entered the room with a doctor following close behind. "Sit down, Poncherello."

As soon as Ponch did he had to get right back up to go throw up.

The doctor followed. "Are you ok?"

"Y-Y-Yeah," Ponch replied shakily after finishing throwing up.

The doctor helped him up and to the back of the room. "Lay down for a bit, ok?"

Ponch nodded slightly as he laid down.

The doctor began to examine every officer and soon was off washing his hands and went to Getraer's office. "Some of them have chicken pox, while others have the stomach flu and some have both. Keep a close eye on Baker, Baricza, and Poncherello. Baker has chicken pox the worst, Baricza has both the worst, and Ponch has a very bad case of the stomach flu."

Getraer nodded. "Ok, thank you doctor."

oOoOo

Getraer stood at the front of the briefing room staring at his bunch of officers. They looked miserable! He cleared his throat to get their attention. "Alright, we're all staying here till you're better. I don't want you to spread illness to all of L.A. like you did to the whole shift at Central."

A loud groan filled the room from everyone.

"Sorry…and I don't want you up and walking all over either. For those of you with just chicken pox stay here. Those of you with just the stomach flu, the report room is closest to the bathroom and locker room in case you need the locker room bathrooms so you'll be there. Those of you with both stomach flu and chicken pox stay in the break room."

"Why can't we stay together?" Jon asked somewhat protesting.

"Jon, do you want the stomach flu too?" Getraer questioned.

"Well no."

"Then you shouldn't be hanging around Poncherello, who happens to have it really bad. It's highly contagious. And same goes to Poncherello, Baker is contagious too. I'm sorry but you can't hang out, and that goes for everyone."

Jon let out a sigh then looked back to where Ponch was laying on the floor. He wished he could take the sickness away from his partner, he looked miserable! And truth was, he was miserable. And it killed Jon to see it. Ponch didn't get sick often, but when he did he got SICK.

The officers that had to leave got up and left, but Ponch didn't move. He felt too sick to even think about moving. So Jeb came over to help him. "Hey, we gotta go to the report room, Ponch," he said.

Ponch shook his head. "I don't wanna go anywhere."

"Hey, you can lay down there. Believe me I know how you're feeling right now, but we gotta listen to what Sarge says still."

Ponch didn't want to move.

Jon wanted to help Jeb, but knew better than to go over there. He stayed where he was and hoped and prayed Ponch would have the strength to move, and feel well soon.

Within a few minutes Ponch and Jeb were both leaving. Ponch was leaning on Jeb, as Jeb helped Ponch walk to the room. Ponch wanted to just fall over already. When they reached he report room, Jeb carefully laid Ponch down. "Alright, you can rest now," he said. But no sooner did he say that, and Ponch was up faster than you could even blink and he was rushing to the bathroom to throw up and everything.

Jeb laid his head on the table. This was the worst thing ever. Well almost…everyone already knew and still knows what the real worst thing ever really was.


	4. Chapter 3

Ponch was on the bathroom floor, too weak to make it back to the report room. He'd spent over half his day throwing up and he just wanted to sleep.

Jeb came in, to use the bathroom and found Ponch on the floor.

"Hey, you need some help?"

"Yeah…" Ponch started.

Jeb helped Ponch to the report room, where Ponch collapsed on the floor.

"Man, I hope this only lasts a few days," Jeb said as he left to use the bathroom.

 _In the break room_

"This is all my fault…how could I have been so stupid!" Bear yelled at himself before throwing up again.

"Hey, calm down," Sindy said as she itched her arm.

"Calm down!? How!?"

Sindy blinked at the intensity of his voice. "Geeze," she muttered.

"Ok, sorry you didn't deserve that. But this whole mess is my fault. It's hard to stay calm…and Ponch is gonna hate me."

Sindy said nothing. She wasn't sure what to tell him.

 _In the briefing room_

Jon laid his head on the table in front of him. "This is insane! I'd rather be at home and in bed than sitting here."

"Jon, who wouldn't want to be home?" Grossie replied.

Jon was silent. He knew everyone wanted to be home, so why would Getraer keep them all here?

He knew why he just wished everything were easier. He wished that they would just all get better and not have to stay here.

oOoOo

A full week went by and as the week went on some got worse before they got better. But now Getraer was pleased to see all of his officers were starting to look and act like their normal selves again. No sickness. Well maybe it was there a little, but it was pretty well gone by now.

"Sarge, can we leave now?" asked one officer.

"Not yet. You have to be healthy for at least a day or two before you leave. I don't want you to try to leave and then find out you're all still sick," Getraer replied. He was being pretty cautious about the whole thing.

Jon stared at Getraer. "Can we at least see everyone else? We've all been separated for a week."

"Jon, I want you all to rest. And there's no such thing as rest when you're hanging out with Poncherello so the answer is no," Getraer replied.

Jon let out a long sigh.

Getraer tried to ignore it as he moved on to the next room to share the same news.

"Why can't I see Jon? He's my partner!" Ponch protested.

"You won't rest, Frank."

"Yeah right," Ponch muttered.

"Frank, listen I know you well enough to know you wouldn't rest. You and Baker together now would come up with some plan to get out of here…and I don't want it."

Ponch made a face at him. "Fine, fine you win I'll stay here. But that doesn't mean I can't text him."

"Poncherello, I'm warning you if you…" Getraer started.

Ponch threw his hands up in defense. "Hey, relax. I'm not doing anything wrong," he said.

"Yeah…sure…I feel so much better," Getraer replied leaving the room.

oOoOo

The next few days went by like a blur, and before they knew it the doors were being opened again.

"OH MY GOSH, FRESH AIR!" Ponch exclaimed running out the door and taking in a nice refreshing breath of fresh air. The California sunshine was very welcoming to him today, and he felt fantastic!

He turned and smiled when he saw Jon come out. He threw his arms around his partner. "I never thought I'd ever be this happy to see you! I missed you. That was the most miserable week of my whole life."

"Same, partner."

Then they saw Bear come out. "Hey, Bear!" Ponch greeted cheerfully.

Bear stared at him. "Ponch, this was all my fault how could you even say hi to me in such a cheerful tone?"

"Because I'm not holding it against you. You made a mistake, and we all forgive you. You're our friend, we're not staying mad forever."

Bear stared at him. "What?"

"We're not staying mad forever," Jon repeated Ponch's words.

Bear looked puzzled. "You guys…you amaze me," he said.

Ponch and Jon both smiled.

Bear then cracked a smile, he couldn't help it. "Thanks…it feels good to be forgiven…and uh…I'll try to listen to you next time, Ponch."

"Yeah, you'd better," Ponch replied. Then they all laughed.


End file.
